Systems and Method for Roaming in Wi-Fi Networks

Abstract

Systems and method for wireless roaming include operating, via a wireless communication device, a first communication link between the wireless communication device and a first access point using a first media access control (MAC) layer of the wireless communication device; initiating, using a second MAC layer of the wireless communication device, a roaming handover with a second access point while the first communication link remains configured for transmitting and receiving application and/or IP layer communication packets; ceasing transmission and reception of the application and/or IP layer communication packets via the first communication link after the roaming handover has been initiated; and resuming transmission and reception of the application and/or IP layer communication packets with a second communication link between the wireless communication device and the second access point upon completion of the roaming handover.

1 . A method for wireless roaming comprising:
 operating, via a wireless communication device, a first communication link between the wireless communication device and a first access point using a first media access control (MAC) layer of the wireless communication device;   initiating, using a second MAC layer of the wireless communication device, a roaming handover with a second access point while the first communication link remains configured to transmit and receive application or IP layer communication packets;   ceasing transmission and reception of the application or IP layer communication packets on the first communication link after the roaming handover has been initiated; and   resuming the application or IP layer communication packets with a second communication link between the wireless communication device and the second access point upon completion of the roaming handover.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein resuming transmission and receipt of the application or IP layer communication packets with the second communication link comprises resuming transmission and reception of the application or IP layer communication packets using the first MAC layer of the wireless communication device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein initiating the roaming handover comprises transmitting an authentication request from the wireless communication device to the second access point using the second MAC layer. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein initiating the roaming handover further comprises:
 receiving an authentication reply from the second access point; and   sending an authentication ready signal from the second MAC layer to the first MAC layer,   wherein the wireless communication device ceases transmission and reception of the application or IP layer communication packets via the first communication link in response to the authentication ready signal.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 transmitting a reassociation request from the wireless communication device to the second access point using the first MAC layer; and   resuming transmission and reception of the application or IP layer communication packets using the second communication link.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 exchanging security and encryption frames with the second access point; and   installing the encryption key,   wherein exchanging and installing are performed prior to resuming transmission and reception of the application or IP layer communication packets using the second communication link.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein initiating the roaming handover comprises:
 transmitting an authentication request from the wireless communication device to the second access point using the second MAC layer and a first frequency band;   transmitting a reassociation request from the wireless communication device to the second access point using the second MAC layer and the first frequency band; and   exchanging security and encryption frames with the second access point using the second MAC layer and the first frequency band;   sending a new link read signal from the second MAC layer to the first MAC layer after exchanging the security and encryption frames;   installing the encryption key on the first MAC layer; and   resuming transmission and reception of the application or IP layer communication packets via the second communication link using the first MAC layer and a second frequency band of the second access point,   wherein the wireless communication device ceases transmission and reception of the application layer communication via the first communication link in response to the new link ready signal.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein resuming transmission and reception of the application or IP layer communication packets with the second communication link comprises resuming transmission and reception of the application or IP layer communication using the second MAC layer of the wireless communication device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein initiating the roaming handover comprises:
 transmitting an authentication request from the wireless communication device to the second access point using the second MAC layer;   transmitting a reassociation request from the wireless communication device to the second access point using the second MAC layer; and   in response to the reassociation response, sending a new link ready signal from the second MAC layer to the first MAC layer; and   resuming transmission and reception of the application or IP layer communication packets using the second communication link,   wherein the wireless communication device ceases transmission and reception of the application or IP layer communication packets via the first communication link in response to the new link ready signal.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 exchanging security and encryption frames with the second access point; and   installing the encryption key,   wherein exchanging and installing are performed prior to resuming transmission and reception of the application or IP layer communication packets using the second communication link and after the new link ready signal is sent.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 exchanging security and encryption frames with the second access point; and   installing the encryption key,   wherein exchanging and installing are performed prior to resuming transmission and reception of the application or IP layer communication packets using the second communication link and before the new link ready signal is sent.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein initiating, using the second MAC layer of the wireless communication device, a roaming handover with the second access point while the first communication link remains configured for transmission and reception of the application or IP layer communication packets comprises establishing the second communication link that is limited to performing the MAC layer operations for the roam handover until the second communication link is ready to transmit and receive the application or IP layer communication packets in response to an action event signal that is transmitted to the second access point. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication device utilizes multi-link operation (MLO) communication for the first communication link in which the wireless communication device uses the first MAC layer to communicate with the first access point using a first frequency band or a first channel and uses the second MAC layer to communicate with the first access point using a second frequency band or a first channel,
 in response to initiating the roam handover, the wireless communication device ceases the MLO communication on the second MAC layer while the first communication remains between the wireless communication device and the first access point using the first MAC layer and the first frequency band or the first channel, and   the wireless communication device uses the second MAC layer to initiate the roam handover with the second access point.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein initiating the roaming handover comprises:
 transmitting an authentication request from the wireless communication device to the second access point using the second MAC layer and a first frequency band or a first channel of the second access point;   transmitting a reassociation request from the wireless communication device to the second access point using the second MAC layer and the first frequency band or the first channel of the second access point; and   exchanging security and encryption frames with the second access point using the second MAC layer and the first frequency band or the first channel of the second access point;   installing the encryption key on the second MAC chain;   sending a new link read signal from the second MAC layer to the first MAC chain; and   resuming transmission and reception of the application or IP layer communication packets via the second communication link using the second MAC layer and the first frequency band or the first channel of the second access point,   wherein the wireless communication device ceases transmission and reception of the application or IP layer communication packets via the first communication link in response to the new link ready signal.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 establishing the MLO communication between the wireless communication device and the second access point using a second frequency band or a second channel of the second access point and the first MAC chain.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second communication link is established before the first communication link ceases transmission and reception of the application or IP layer communication packets and is utilized for transmission and reception of the application or IP layer communication packets after the first communication link ceases transmission and reception of the application or IP layer communication packets. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first MAC layer and the second MAC share a physical hardware address and have different virtual hardware addresses. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first MAC layer and the second MAC layer share a virtual hardware address and have different physical hardware addresses. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second MAC layer spoofs the hardware address of first MAC chain. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a connection error occurs between the wireless communication device and the second access point during the roaming handover and the method further comprises:
 reattempting to establish the second communication link with the second access point or a third access point while the first communication link remains configured to transmit and receive application or IP layer communication packets.   
     
     
         21 . A wireless communication device comprising:
 one or more antennas;   one or more radiofrequency transceivers configured to transmit and receive radiofrequency signals via the one or more antennas;   a first media access control (MAC) layer configured to operate a first communication link between the wireless communication device and a first access point; and   a second media access control (MAC) layer configured to initiate a roaming handover with a second access point while transmission and reception of application or IP layer communication packets continues on the first communication link, transmission and reception of the application or IP layer communication packets ceasing on the first communication link after the roaming handover has been initiated, and transmission and reception of the application or IP layer communication packets resuming on a second communication link between the wireless communication device and the second access point upon completion of the roaming handover.